1. Field
This specification relates to a head-up display device configured to display a driving (traveling) information image.
2. Background
Various driving assistance systems and devices are developed for convenience and safety of a driver of a vehicle. As part of the development, a head-up display (HUD) device has recently been mounted in a vehicle. The head-up display device is a next generation display device, which enables more effective transfer of driving information to a driver while the driver drives a vehicle.
The HUD has actually been developed to reduce inconvenience of an aircraft pilot who has to check an external reference, keeping a look down at instruments within a cockpit. Typically, a reference ratio of about 8:2 is maintained between an outside condition and an internal instrument during an instrument flight. However, almost 99% external data or more has to be referred to during a formation flight. Therefore, various types of required information are projected to the pilot's visual field for reference.
The motivation of the HUD development may equally be applied to an HUD for vehicle. A navigation provides a driver (or a user) with important information required for driving a vehicle, and thus the user has to frequently check such information. However, a navigation screen is not located at the front of the driver, which causes the driver's inconvenience in checking it and is likely to cause an accident while driving the vehicle.
The HUD device mounted to the vehicle allows the driver to check information required for driving without dispersing the driver's eyes from the front side. For example, the HUD device displays on a windshield driving information, such as a driving velocity, a driving distance, the number of revolutions (RPM) of an engine, and the like, and vehicle information such as a quantity of fuel and the like. With displaying such driving-related information on the windshield while driving the vehicle, the driver does not have to turn his or her eyes to a dash board having an instrument board and the like. This may result in prevention of an accident which may be caused due to not looking forward.
In recent time, the development of automotive technologies allows drivers to be provided with more information while they are driving their vehicles. However, the conventional HUD device has a limitation in a quantity of information which can be simultaneously provided. To overcome such limitation, a panel within the HUD device has to increase in size, which results in an increase in weight as well as the size of the HUD device.
Since there are many electronic components within a vehicle, the increase in the size increase of the HUD device is limited. Hence, there is a requirement for developing an HUD device which can have a reduced size and provide information more efficiently.